Brother My Brother

It was early morning when Miroku awakened. He was laying on his back
near the base of a tree where he had stayed the night. Kirara was
nestled in the crook of his arm, breathing softly and evenly. Miroku
watched her small body rising and falling with each breath, as he had
the night before. He was still tired and sleep deprived as he had only
gotten a few hours of sleep that night. He had not slept at all the
night before nor the night before that. His thoughts of Sango, Kagome,
and Shippo plagued him at every moment. He wondered where Inuyasha had
gone and when or even if he would return.

Miroku adjusted his weight slightly, and Kirara raised her head
sleepily. He stroked her soft fur, his fingers cold against her warm
body. They had left the field in which Sango and Shippo because the
atmosphere made it impossible for them to feel comfortable there.
Miroku would constantly find himself gazing over at their graves and
feeling the incredible sorrow that accompanied the sight of them. At
last he could stand it no more and urged Kirara to leave with him. He
knew that if Inuyasha returned to the meadow, he would be able to pick
up their scent and find them with ease.

Kirara stood up and stretched, yawning widely. Miroku smiled at her.
“Feeling hungry today, Kirara?” he asked. The nekomata looked back at
him, then shook her head.

“No? Veell.ell.” Miroku was not hungry either. Neither of them had
eaten in four days, the results of which were beginning to take their
toll on them.

Kirara purred and nuzzled him. Since they had left the meadow, they had
returned every morning to pay their respects to their dead friends, as
well as to see if Inuyasha had come during the night. Kirara was always
anxious to begin traveling.

Miroku stood, using his staff to help pull his weight up. “Let’s get
going then.” He allowed the nekomata to perch on his shoulder and the
two were off into the forest. It took them about two hours every day to
reach the meadow, where they stayed for most of the day. Then they
would walk for another two hours back to the place they spent the
night. It was just the right distance that Miroku felt almost
comfortable enough to fall asleep at night. However, with all that had
happened, he doubted he would ever have a good night’s rest again.

Near midmorning, Miroku and Kirara arrived in the meadow. They were
surprised and relieved to find Inuyasha in one of the nearby trees.
Miroku approached quietly, looking up at his half demon companion.
Inuyasha’s eyes were closed, one leg on the branch and one leg hanging
down. He held the Tetsuisga to his chest, his back straight against the
hard bark of the tree. Kagome was not with him.

“Inuyasha?” Miroku ventured softly. The half demon’s ears twitched
slightly, and he opened his golden eyes to look down at him.

“There you guys are,” Inuyasha said. “I was gonna come get you, but I
wanted to get some sleep first.Rbr> br>


“Where is Kagome?” Miroku asked.

Inuyasha avoided his eyes. “She-- She’s gone. I tried to find the
Tenseiga, but… But Kikyo took Kagome away from me.”

“Kikyo,” Miroku echoed. He watched the half demon shift in the tree,
turning his head slightly so that the sun reflected against his cheek.
Miroku could just make out the lengtha tea tear run down the side of
Inuyasha’s face.

Kirara purred and pawed the air. Inuyasha tossed his white hair behind
his shoulder and leapt down, landing neatly on his feet. “Come on, we
can’t stay here.” He looked at Miroku as if as jas just noticing him
for the first time. “You look awful.”

Miroku lowered his eyes. “I can believe that. Come, let us pay our
respects to the others and be on our way. Naraku must pay for what he
has done.”

Inuyasha nodded and followed him and Kirara to Sango and Shippo’s
graves. Miroku fell to his knees in front of them and Inuyasha watched
as he closed his eyes and remained still. Inuyasha had never been one
to pay respects to the dead before, and he was clueless as to what to
do. So he sat next to Miroku and stared at the ground, hoping that
whatever Miroku was doing was good enough to cover for them both. After
a while, Miroku rose to his feet, and Inuyasha did likewise. Without
saying a word, they began walking out of the meadow, into the forest.
Kirara perched herself on Miroku’s shoulder once again, and he walked
side by side with Inuyasha. They said nothing as the went, and only the
calls of lonely birds came to their ears. Hour after hour passed by,
until Miroku suddenly felt rather light headed.

“Inuyasha,” he said, breaking the long silence. “I need to rest,
please.” He balanced his weight on his staff as he lowered himself to
the ground into a sitting position, leaning against the trunk of a tree.

“I knew there was something wrong with you,” Inuyasha frowned, kneeling
down before him and placing a hand on his forehead. “You’re not sick
are you?”

Miroku shook his head. “No, I’m just weary is all.”

Kirara jumped from his shoulder to the ground, nuzzling against his
leg. She purred a bit and licked his hand. Miroku stroked her behind
the ears.

“We haven’t eaten in several days,” Miroku stated. “We haven’t had the
appetite.”

Inuyasha sat down beside him. “Yeah, well me neither. Not that it’s a
big deal for me. I’m half demon, I can go a long time without food.
You, on the other hand…”

“Yes, I know,” Miroku acknowledged. It was silent for a bit longer,
then Miroku decided to ask what had been cycling through his head for a
while. “How exactly did you go about searching for the Tenseiga?”

“How do you think?” Inuyasha responded. “I looked for Sesshomaru.” He
crossed his arms and leaned back against the tree, facing away from the
monk.

“And…?” Miroku prompted.

“And it looks like Naraku’s had his hands full these last few days. Not
only did he attack us, but Sesshomaru, too.”

“Interesting. I wonder what it is Naraku and Sesshomaru have against
each other,” Miroku pondered.

“Well, whatever it is, Naraku practically beat the life outta
Sesshomaru for it.” Inuyasha replied.

A dreaded feeling set in Miroku‘s gut. “He’s become that powerful?”

“Seems that way,” Inuyasha said.

“And what happened to the Tenseiga?”

“Naraku took it.” Inuyasha felt Miroku tense beside him. “And the
Tokijin.”

“No.” The dreaded feeling intensified. “With those swords, he’ll be
even more powerful.”

“Yeah,” Inuyasha mumbled.

The two sat in silence for a moment. Miroku could not believe what he
had heard. Naraku, now with the Tokijin, the powerful sword with its
own demonic force and power, and the Tenseiga, the fabled sword of
healing. Sesshomaru was idabidable with the two in his possession.
Naraku was able to defeat Sesshomaru, proving that his power surpassed
the demon lord’s. His is a powerful
evil. His stomach turned.

“Inuyasha,” he groaned. “I must-- I think I might be sick.”

Inuyasha looked over his shoulder at him. “Sick? I thought you said you
haven’t eaten anything for a few days.”

“I haven’t, but…” Miroku supported his weight with his staff as he
struggled to his feet. “I suddenly feel very… Very ill.” He took a few
steps forward, but stopped. His legs felt like rubber, his head pounded
mercilessly, and he could see nothing save a feack ack spots in front
of his eyes. He could no longer support his own weight, and sank to his
knees. Kirara mewed in concern and bounded to his side, nuzzling
against the monk’s hand.

“Miroku.” Inuyasha rose himself, kneeling beside the other, his hands
still crossed inside his kimono sleeves. “You’re sick, you blockhead.
Lay down and get some rest.”

Miroku looked up at him. “Inuyasha,” he struggled out. “Are you
concerned about me?”

“Hmph,” Inuyasha frowned. “Of course I am.” He pushed him backwards,
forcing him onto his back on the ground. “Besides,” he added softly.
“You’re all I got left.”

From his new position on the ground, Miroku watched as the half demon
stood and began heading away from him. “Where-- Where are you going?”

“To get you something to eat,” Inuyasha called over his shoulder.
“Don’t try and tell me you don’t need it.” He turned back around and
continued  walking. “Look after him, Kirara.”

The nekomata purred and nuzzled against Miroku’s cheek. He smiled
weakly as heokedoked her head, feeling her soft fur against his cold
hand. She turned and licked his finger, then laid down against him. He
felt the warmth of her body on his own and it was strangely comforting
to him. Kirara was what Sango had left to him before she departed from
this world.